Similarly Afflicted
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: "It's very difficult, isn't it? The split. On the one hand you want to be here. Here is where you have a life you can be proud of... But on the other, there you can be anything. Such possibilities." Part 1 of the Demon Trifecta series.


Similarly Afflicted

"How do you do it?" Yusuke asked softly. He didn't need to turn around to know that it was Kurama who had landed on the roof behind him.

"What are you doing up here, Yusuke?" the kitsune asked, deflecting the question. "Keiko is worried sick."

Yusuke chuckled. "It's like she's single handedly trying to make up for me having a mother who didn't give a shit what I did by worrying over me every time I'm gone."

Kurama shrugged. "Some people should be so lucky."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't worry, I ain't planning to run off or nothing. I just…needed some air."

The redhead knew that feeling all too well. "And it isn't _this_ air that you need." He walked closer to this former teammate and took a seat beside him. "It's very difficult, isn't it? The split. On the one hand you want to be here. _Here_ is where you have a life you can be proud of, where those you care for are. But on the other hand, _there…_there you can be anything. Such possibilities."

"Yeah." Yusuke agreed. He turned and looked at his friend. "You seem to be managing okay though."

"Do not forget, Yusuke, that I have been doing this for far longer than you have. You only recently learned of your demonic nature. I was one for a thousand years before this."

"So it's harder for you?"

Kurama shook his head. "No. I enjoy my life here. I always have. I suppose what I meant was that I have had more time to adjust to this than you have."

"What did you do when you first got here?"

"Tried to recover mostly." the kitsune replied with a laugh. "I only came here because I was dying and needed somewhere to hide and regain my strength. But you know all this. What are you really trying to ask?"

Yusuke was quiet for a moment, thinking that one through. "I guess…what made it bearable for you? I mean I have Keiko and Kuwabara and hell, even you, but some days…none of that seems like enough to keep me from heading down to the border and slipping through, if just to breathe that air again."

The air in the Makai was electrically charged. It smelled of ozone and _power. _To someone who was human, it smelled unpleasant, but to a demon, it was intoxicating.

Kurama nodded. "I know that that is how Hiei felt for a time. To answer your question, it was made bearable when I realized that the Makai isn't going anywhere, and that I have a very long time to live. My attachments here are not so fortunate, thus I will one day have no other option but to return."

"So…you treasure your time here?" Yusuke suggested.

A slow smile spread across the redhead's face. "Yes." he said. "It is no wonder that you are having a harder time with this. You have never had a particular love for this place."

"Damn, you're right. Now that I'm pretty fond of it, I want to be somewhere else. How fucked up is that?"

Kurama laughed. "Quite." he replied. "But you love Keiko, do you not? You love her and Kuwabara and even me?"

"Keiko's all I ever wanted, and you guys are alright." Yusuke agreed.

"Then enjoy the time while you can. I will be around for a good long while, and Kuwabara will probably have a lengthened lifespan due to his extraordinary spirit energy, but Keiko…"

"Yeah, I get it. I'm gonna outlive her."

"By centuries." Kurama said. "Which is why it does not do to dwell on being elsewhere."

"Does it ever get easier, Kurama?"

"It does. There will be times when you are with your friends, or Keiko, or even your mother, and you will realize that there is no where else in all three worlds where you could have something like that. _That _makes it worth it."

The two of them fell into a companionable silence, as the new mozaku mulled all of it over.

"Hey, Kurama?" he asked after a while.

"Hm?"

"Now that we're all staying here and I have Keiko and Kuwabara has Yukina and Hiei is in the Makai, what are you going to do? Won't you be bored?"

The kitsune shrugged neatly. "Are you disowning me, Yusuke?"

"No!" the former detective said quickly. "You've helped me out more times than I can count. And…well…you'n me…we're kinda the same now."

"Similarly afflicted." Kurama agreed.

"Right. So as far as I'm concerned…" Yusuke trailed off. "I'm no good at this shit."

"I understand what you're trying to say." the redhead remarked. "And I appreciate it. You needn't worry overly much about me though. Hiei's in the Makai, but he'll be back."

"How do you know?"

Kurama just smiled that little smile that said he knew something you didn't.

"I ain't touching that one with a ten foot pole." Yusuke commented. "But I get the feeling I owe Kuwabara money."

"Hmm. I always thought he would be the one to figure it out." the kitsune mused. "He really is smarter than you or Hiei give him credit for." He stood up and stretched. "I hope I have helped you in some small manner, Yusuke. And please know that if you ever need to talk to someone about this, I will listen and offer what advice I can."

"Thanks, Kurama." the spirit detective turned demon lord stood up and stretched. He looked out over the city and then sighed. "I guess we'd better get back, huh?"

The fox laughed richly. "That seems like a sound idea. You are, after all, getting married tomorrow. Keiko thinks you're getting cold feet. I believe her exact words were, 'he can take on a tournament full of demons, but he runs from marrying me?'."

"Sounds like Keiko. Alright let's go. Times wasting."


End file.
